The invention concerns an improved snap hinge for furniture, that is, a hinge that articulates, on the body of the piece of furniture, for example, doors and panels. The furniture may be made of wood, metal or other materials. The hinge is of the type that allows a snap opening and closing of the door or panel of the piece of furniture, the opening angle being of about 90.degree..
The related art includes a non-recessed snap hinge, disclosed in the patent IT-A-953903, filed on Oct. 8, 1973, in the name of the same applicant. In such prior document a hinge is disclosed which is of the double articulated quadrilateral type, allowing snap opening and closing of the doors, with the opening angle being of approximately 90.degree., in fact slightly more than 90.degree..
In this known, non-recessed type of hinge, shown in the enclosed FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, the lever, loaded by a snap spring inserted in a telescopic capsule having a base plate with a bottom recess, consists mainly of a pair of side elements with an elongated shape, which are interconnected by bridging elements. The side elements are shaped so as to define two opposite sides, a ventral and a dorsal one, with the bridging elements located on the dorsal side.
A ventral pin made of hardened steel, on which the bottom recess, with semi-circular cross-section, of the base plate is designed to fit, constitutes a further and separate component of the lever. The telescopic capsule also includes a telescopic cover, enclosing the snap spring that bears with an end on the base plate to provide, in combination with said lever, the snap opening and closing of said hinge.
Moreover, such a pin, whilst being functionally adequate, has to be manufactured, including the necessary hardening and protection treatments, separately from the structure of the lever. The latter, on the other hand, is entirely made in a single die, during a single passage of the blank strip. Eventually, the pin has to be riveted to the lever for final assembly.
The separate manufacture of the pin and the additional riveting operation entail significant manufacturing costs.